Back to Bangkok

When we returned to Bangkok we spent the remaining two days of our trip staying at the Shanghai mansion in china town. It was a very cool hotel right in the heart of China town. The funniest part was that we got there pretty late and the guy at the desk ran ahead of us to turn the very short escalator on just for us. It didn't sound really funny when I just typed it, but trust me, it was hilarious in person.

The next morning, Sunday morning, we did the entire day at the weekend market, Chatuchak Market. Stephen and I now consider ourselves expert bargainers after that day. It is actually really fun if you just smile and laugh while you do it (keep it friendly). The secrets are to know your cut off ahead if time, get out your offer so they see the cash, and be willing to walk away (95% of the time they run after you). We had so much fun and we got a lot of really great deals. We really didn't spend much but walked away with a lot of cool stuff. My favorite purchase was tied: a Thai tea set, 12 earrings (for $3), and a watch. I also got a few dresses for about $3-5 each. Stephen's favorites include a giant knife and a triangle cushion. He also had a suit custom made for him.

coke in a bag, a popular method for quenching one's thirst

On Monday morning Ben and Christy left to head north. It was really sad saying goodbye. We have really enjoyed vacationing with them. This experience has really bonded us forever and I know that they will be one of those "lifetime friends" that you keep in touch with forever.

That afternoon Stephen and I did a tour of the grand palace which includes the temple with the emerald Buddha. I have never seen anything like these buildings. The outside is so ornate with carvings of gold and jewels. It was breathtaking to see. It was also interesting to see the monks praying in the temples. We have certainly learned a lot about the religion and customs of Thailand.

Later we went out to eat and then hit up the night market. This is where they sell the "designer" stuff for really cheap.  Afterwards we bought a bunch of really weird fruits to try. A few of them were really tasty, it was just weird to eat such strange looking things. After the strange fruit we went back to the hotel to pack for the trip home.

We enjoyed Thailand so much and would definitely recommend it! The people are so nice, the country is beautiful, and we had such great experience.

Elephant trekking

On Thursday we did a half day of elephant trekking. Stephen and I were on one elephant and Ben and Christy were on a different one. Our elephant was named Bida ( bee- da) and he was awesome. Both of our elephants had a guide but for some reason ours kept leaving. Everytime he did Bida would stop and eat some trees or get down in the river. It was hilarious, as soon as the guide came back he would get back on the trail. We did this for couple hours and then headed on to koh tao.

To get there we did an overnight ferry. It had mattresses that were about 15 inches wide with no space between them. Poor Ben ended up next to a girl with bed bug bites on her. Luckily, we didn't get any and we all actually managed to get some sleep.

The boys were gracious enough to give us girls the inside

In koh tao we took a very scary "taxi" ride in the back of a pick up down an unfinished road to a little bay called tanote bay. It was well worth the trip. There was a big rock about 40 feet high that Ben and Stephen jumped off. They were really brave, we watched several people climb up, look over, and climb back down. Stephen set up the hammock for me, and then Christy and I read on the beach. Afterwards we rented snorkel gear and did some of the coolest snorkeling we had seen all trip.

Our hotel was one of the coolest places we stayed at. It had a beautiful room with a patio and the hotel was right off a cliff overhanging. There were two pools and an outdoor restaraunt that we tried out that had amazing views.

The next morning we woke up and explored the area a little more. We actually found a little pizza shop that had some of the best pizza I have ever had. Afterwards we took a ferry and an overnight bus back to Bangkok. After having traveled overnight by train, ferry, and bus, I think train is the way to go, although other people in the group would disagree.

Lake tour

On wednesday we did an all day trip into the national park. We started by taking a small boat tour around Chieow Laan lake. It started to sprinkle a little but it was gorgeous. When the rain started, our driver stripped down to his whitey tighties. Luckily we all had our nice rain jackets so we didn't feel the need to take off all our clothes.

After the tour we went kayaking on our own for a bit, and jumped off a sketchy make-shift diving board that was surprisingly sturdy.  Following that, we went to a floating restaurant on the lake. We had the best meal. There was a huge fish with lots of teeth, and several types of mixed veggie dishes. Christy and I told them we were vegetarians so we didn't have to eat the scary looking fish. They also served us fresh pineapple and watermelon. Delicious.

After lunch it started pouring. That didn't stop us though. We continued on with our 3.5 hour hike into the jungle. Our guide told us "is ok" when we passed the sign that said "do not enter when raining: dangerous." The rain forest was amazing. We saw beautiful trees and really interesting creatures. The most interesting were the leeches. Every once in a while we had to do a "leech check." I only got 2 but I think Stephen had 6. They didn't hurt, they were just kind of gross.

The trek was amazing but it did get kind of scary. We had to cross the river several times and the water was really high (about to our chest). Christy almost got swept away once but luckily she grabbed Ben in time. He has a huge bruise on his arm from it. We went a couple hours to a waterfall and then back. The hard part was climbing in the huge wet rocks in the rain.

Overall, the whole day was really great. It was definitely an experience we will never forget.

yummm...

Our boat

one of my leech spots

kayaking in the rain before the tour

trekking out in the jungle

got a leech off on the boat ride back

stephen going off the diving board

stopping at a waterfall, the four of us were the only ones that ventured out to it

hmmm....

Khao sok

Two days ago we said farewell to the beach and traveled to the jungle. We are staying at a nice place up in the trees called las orquideas. It is a really nice place and the owner has given us really personalized service. 

We are really in a small town just outside of Khao sok. Up here we are really getting a taste of why it is monsoon season. It rains all day but it is actually kind of nice. We have still been able to do everything we want to do.

The first day we just kind of relaxed and explored on our own. It is really different in this area. Something interesting is that everyone lives at their place of work. For example, while we ate dinner (open air patio) the family was just a few tables over watching tv (mostly soap operas and the Thai soap operas are really over the top. We had fun making up scenarios of what was going on). It was their living room. It was the same at the massage places. 

The restaurant was really good. It was called thaiherb. Everyone is getting a little more adventurous with their orders. The great part is if you don't like something just order something else because the dinners are only 2 dollars anyway. It got especially exciting when a bat starting swooping down over us. 

Our Porch

Stephen opening the room

Walking to our room

Outside the main office

The Last Bar

Our last day in Railay was pretty relaxed. We rested from all our excursions and read on the beach for a while. We got lunch from my favorite spot, a boat that pulls up to the beach. They also make the best banana shakes. Stephen set up the hammock on the beach and it was so wonderful.

That evening, we went to this place some Canadian girls told us about called the last bar. It was literally the last bar down the east side and you wouldn't ever find it unless you were really looking specifically for it. It turned out to be a hookah bar. We sat on cushions on the floor ( which was an open air deck out over the river) and played cards while we drank some cocktails. We listened to a guy sing songs like Wonderwall and other old but popular hits with a thick Thai accent. All of a sudden it got really crowded and that is when "the fire show" started.

It was incredible. There were three Thai guys (one only sixteen) that had a stick (I would say baton but it was not girlie at all) which was lit on both sides. They also had these things that were like a flaming ball that was on a chain about 2 feet long connected to a handle. They kind of danced with the fire to some crazy songs (including limp bizkit). They
threw it to each other over our heads and did some crazy stunts.

The interesting part was that it was really informal and kind of dangerous. They burnt themselves several times and dropped it pretty often. Despite the scary mess ups they were actually really cool and entertaining.

After the last bar we headed to a different place to stay for the night. Rampala is a small place that is basically just a mattress, mosquito net, and a small non flushing bathroom in each hut. There is a fan but no AC. It was quite an experience (which is what the guys really wanted) and it only cost 7 dollars a night :) We have kind of been saving on some nights and splurging on others. So far our lodging has ranged from $7 (hut) to $50 a night (5 star resort) .

One thing Thailand is teaching me is to be a little more laid back and to just go with the flow. It turns out life is just as enjoyable and even less stressful.